We All Pay For Lobbyists' Perks

Chief Justice John Roberts wants higher pay for federal judges and for the government to lower the rents of courthouses because it is unfair for the courts to pay more than other agencies.

That is fine, but he should also ask that landlords stop turning rental apartments into condos, so the struggling working stiffs can get a handle on their lives. It would also be wise to stop the developers from turning out people in mobile home parks.

When an apartment building in New York converts to co-op, residents are allowed to remain there and pay rent to the new owner. That is compassion. Where are the commissioners and politicians? Eminent domain and eviction of many for the benefit of the few greedy is not equality.

And why not stop the lobbyists in Washington and all states from influencing our politicians, because the price of everything we buy goes sky high (aka inflation, which our government says doesn't exist).

The utilities and insurance companies get dramatic rate hikes, yet the worker can't get a decent raise to keep up with the added inflation.

Where is the equality? The hard-working people in this country know there is no free lunch. Not so with our politicians. The lobbyists take them to the most expensive restaurants, reward them with expense-paid trips and who do you think pays? The working stiffs do, indirectly through higher prices -- and then our government gives the lobbyists' concerns tax breaks. Lucrative business for them, the shaft for the public. Then, we have to work harder to make ends meet because the lobbyists don't want the worker to have a health, dental or optical plan.

We can't keep up with the high cost of everything the politicians are giving to the lobbyists. If commissioners and politicians are only going to pander to lobbyists and special interest groups, rather than the people who elected them, let's vote these bums out of office.